Type:

• Bachelor Thesis Business Information Systems

Status:

offered

Tutor:

• Pierre Maier

Abstract

Multi-level modeling is a novel modeling paradigm that aims to overcome limitations of standard modeling languages like the UML. As oppposed to such standard, “two-level”, languages, multi-level modeling languages allow for an unbounded number of classification levels. This should support avoiding conceptual redundancy as well as integrity threats and contribute to improved reusability and integration (cf. Frank 2022). 

Multi-level modeling was explicitly introduced in 2001 by Atkinson and Kühne as a means to overcome limitations of the UML. Since then, many diverse approaches to multi-level modeling have been developed with different central design objectives. For example, DeepTelos intends to support multi-level database systems. The Level-Agnostic Modeling Language (LML), Domain-Modeling Language (DML) and Flexible Multi-Level Model and Execution Language (FMMLx) aim to support multi-level software engineering. Languages such as Multi-Level Theory (MLT*) or Dynamic Multi-Level Algebra (DMLA) focus on multi-level knowledge representation. The heterogeneous landscape of multi-level modeling languages and tools poses an obstacle to the further progression of the field since, e.g., researchers invest much time into advancing only one language or tool. 

This Bachelor thesis sets out to analyze and compare a previously agreed upon set of multi-level modeling languages and tools. The main objective is to identify commonalties and differences among the selected languages and analyze the underlying assumptions and rationales. 

Literature:

• Atkinson C, Kühne T (2001) The Essence of Multilevel Metamodeling. UML 2001 - The Unified Modeling Language. Modeling Languages, Concepts, and Tools: 4th International Conference, Toronto, Canada, October 1-5, 2001. Proceedings, pp 19–33
• Atkinson C, Gerbig R, Kühl N (2014) Comparing Multi-Level Modeling Approaches. MULTI 2014: Proceedings of the Workshop on Multi-Level Modelling co-located with ACM/IEEE 17th International Conference on Model Driven Engineering Languages & Systems (MoDELS 2014), pp 53–61
• Frank U (2014) Multilevel Modeling: Toward a New Paradigm of Conceptual Modeling and Information Systems Design. Business and Information Systems Engineering 6(6):319–337
• Frank U (2022) Multi-Level Modeling: Cornerstones of a Rationale. Software and Systems Modeling 21:451–480
• Jeusfeld MA, Frank U (2021) Unifying Multi-Level Modeling: A Position Paper. 2021 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems Companion (MODELS-C), pp 536–540